Charles c



O. G. WIOKMAN.

(No Model.)

PIANO DAMPER.

No. 424,841. Patented Apr.v 1, 1890.

mlllllllm HH will UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. WVICKMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO-DAM PER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,841, dated April 1,1890.

Application filed October 30, 1889. Serial No. 328,634. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. WIcKMAN,

of the city, county, and State of New York,

haveinvent-ed a new and useful Improvement in Pianos, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a means for securing the damper head and wireconnected therewith of a piano to the capsule forming part of themotion-work-that is, the damperlever, the keys, and parts intervening.

I11 the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is aperspective view of my device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thecapsule. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the damper-head anddamper-wire, and Fig. 4. is a perspective View of my device connectingthe damper head and wire to the capsule.

I have shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, my device as being a hollowsquare; but, as will be readily understood, it can be made circular ortriangular or any other form suitable to the circumstances of each case.

A is the damper-head of wood, and a the damper-wire connected therewith.B is the capsule, also of wood, and C is my device, which is made ofmetal or other suitable material.

Heretofore, in order to secure the damper head and wire to the woodencapsule, the wire is inserted in a hole which has been first drilleddown into the upper end of the capsule, and a screw is then screwed intoone side until it strikes the damper-wire, and is then further screwedtightly against this damper-Wire in order to prevent it, if possible,fromturn'ing; but it has been found that after a short time thedamper-wire will turn, since the opening in the wooden capsule enlarges,notwithstanding that the screw presses it tightly against the wood; andas the capsule is made of a piece of wood of very small cross-sectionalarea, not more than one-quarter of an inch square, and be sides is verydry, the screw passing into it will always split it. To overcome theseobjections I have invented, a device which is lettered in the drawings0, Figs. 1 and 4. The capsule B is first grooved down one side, intowhich the damper-wire a is afterward inserted or placed. Before,however, the damper-wire is inserted into this groove the will fittightly over it, and then the damperwire a is inserted into the openingmade by the groove in the capsule and the surrounding square or ring. Ascrew D passes through the opposite side of the surrounding square,

or ring into and through the capsule 0 until it strikes the damper-wire,and is then further screwed tightly against this damperwire, whichthereby is pressed against the surrounding metal square or ring, keepingit firmly in place and preventing it from turning. Thus it will be seenthat not only is the damper-wire by my device firmly secured in place inthe capsule, and cannot move afterward, except by unscrewing the screwD, but also the capsule is prevented from splitting when the screw D isinserted.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a piano, the combination, withthe capsule and the damper-head and damperwire which are to be connectedwith said capsule, of a hollow piece of metal or other suitable materialwhich surrounds the said capsule and the damper-wire, which isinterposed between the capsule and the surrounding piece, and a screwwhich passes into and through said surrounding piece into the capsuleand pressing the damper-wire tightly against said surrounding piece,substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

2. In a piano, the combination, with the capsule having a groove alongone side, and

the damper-head and damper-wire which I are to be connected with saidcapsule, of a hollow piece of metal or other suitable material whichsurrounds said capsule and the damper-Wire, which is interposed betweenthe capsule and the surrounding piece within the groove in said capsule,and a screw which passes into and through said surrounding piece intothe capsule and pressing the damper-wire tightly against saidsurrounding piece, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbeforedescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. IVICKMAN. Witnesses:

G.'A. WIOKMAN, GEO. H. SoNNEBoRN.

